Shaquille O'Neal to hold carnival-style EDM affair in Miami

FILE - In this Sept. 15, 2017 file photo, Shaquille O'Neal, performing as DJ Diesel, appears at KAABOO 2017 in San Diego, Calif. O’Neal will put his deejay skills on display at his private carnival-style event in Miami. O’Neal said that his new event concept called “Shaq’s Fun House” will debut March 23 during Miami Music Week. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Associated Press

ATLANTA
—

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal will put his DJ skills on display at his own carnival-style event after a popular electronic dance music festival in Miami.

O'Neal said that "Shaq's Fun House" will debut March 24, immediately following day one of the three-day Ultra Music Festival. Both events are taking place during Miami Music Week.

He said the one-night, invite-only affair will feature EDM performers, a cabaret show and "over-the-top" carnival attractions. It will be held at an unannounced warehouse venue.

"Despite all the problems that are going on in the world, there are two (things) that'll bring people together: it's sports and music," he said in an interview Wednesday. O'Neal added that there will be "flame throwers, people swinging from ceilings, a lot of costumes. We want this to be very different than any other festival."

"Shaq's Fun House" will run from 2 a.m. to sunrise.

O'Neal will perform under his stage name DJ Diesel. The four-time NBA champion said he came up with the concept after he performed at the EDM festival TomorrowWorld, held near Atlanta, in 2015.

"I want to do something big and develop a brand that represents this younger world," he said.

O'Neal won't announce who is performing at his event because he wants to surprise the audience. Performers at the Ultra Music Festival include David Guetta, the Chainsmokers and Afrojack.

O'Neal, 46, has been performing at small and big venues since the age of 14, even DJ'ing at parties during his college days at Louisiana State University. He released multiple rap albums in the 1990s, and in recent years he's performed at music festivals around the world.

At "Shaq's Fun House," O'Neal said he'll play a mixture of EDM, hip-hop and classic songs.

"I like to read the crowd and see what they like, but I want to hit them with that base, edgy trap. I like all types of music. I'm mixture of AoB and Skrillex," he said, referring to the electronic soul duo and Grammy-winning dub-step DJ-producer.